Well, part of that notion of using the 617 as a training gun is to work on basics like trigger control and sight picture, but when you get right down to it, it's a good excuse to get another gun.

Plus, it'd be a good gun to use to introduce my wife to shooting.

See? I can come up with all sorts of justifications.

I haven't totally ruled out the 617 I looked at. I'm just trying to decide if I want a project gun right now. If the guy at the shop had shown a different attitude instead of acting like I was being unreasonably picky, I might have put my money down, but I didn't want it bad enough that I couldn't walk away and think about it.